The Left Handed Hero Rewritten
by Minish-Mae
Summary: [This is a rewrite of an older version from 2013!] During a sailing accident, Link is attacked by a gyorg and loses his left arm. Linebeck, feeling it's his fault, is swarmed with guilt. Ciela tries to keep the peace, but things keep going from bad to worse. Link can only handle so much, and it's only going to get worse for the left handed hero.
1. Chapter 1

Seagulls flew in the sky, and dolphins splashed among the waves; it was a beautiful, warm, sunny day out on the open seas. Link stood on the bow of the S.S. Linebeck as the captain and Ciela were below deck, navigating the ship. Today was the day they were going to forge the Phantom Sword and save Tetra! Tetra was a close friend of Link's and after a series of misfortunate events, he was separated from Tetra and her pirates, and landed in a sticky situation himself. Luckily, upon finding what was called the Ghost Ship, he was able to find her … however, she was completely turned to stone. Now, from the help of a friendly fairy and a greedy sailor named Linebeck, they're going to do everything in their power to change Tetra back!

Link turned as he heard a tingling in the air, Ciela had flown up from below deck and whirred around Link's head. He gave her a smile and a wave. Ciela bounced around Link happily and fluttered beside him as the duo watched the ocean together.

"Linebeck kept bossing me around," Ciela explained, "he kept asking me to do a bunch of things that are impossible for a fairy! He's insane with the requests he asks sometimes!"

Link let out a small chuckle, _that's Linebeck for you._

"I know he tries, and I know we must be hard to keep around … I mean he could have kicked us off of his boat at any time, but instead he keeps us and I don't understand why. All I've been is ungrateful to him …'

Link looked at Ciela sadly and she turned to him. "Oh, no, don't worry about me Link! I'm fine! I'm just ranting is all. No need to be sad about me!"

Link smiled and nodded at Ciela. They both looked out to sea and Ciela looked to Link. "Do you ever think about your family?" Link replied with a nod, and looked down sadly. "Is Tetra your family? Like a sister or something?" Link shook his head. "She's just a friend?" Link nodded again to the smaller fairy and she beamed happily.

"That's so nice that you'd go out of your way to help her, and you're not even related! That's some true courage if I've ever seen it! She's gonna be happy to see you again, Link!" Link turned away, blushing a bit. He had been sailing with Tetra and her pirates for over a year now, and she really did feel like an older sister to him .He couldn't wait to go back to them, however, he was having a lot of fun sailing with Ciela and Linebeck too. Choosing between the two would be hard for sure.

Suddenly, the boat hit a current in the ocean, causing the boat to bounce. Link lost his footing and fell to the deck. He'd never be able to get used to the sensation of being on the water; It's always so bumpy and it's easy to lose grip. He stood back up and looked up at Ciela, laughing a bit.

"That clumsy idiot! If he's not careful, he's going to send you over the railing and into the ocean!" Ciela cried. "He needs to be more careful!"

Link shook his head, insisting that it was fine. He looked over the bow to see if there was a current they were stuck in. Suddenly, there was a big thud, and the boat jerked backwards, sending Link flying over the railing. He landed with a loud splash in the water, and Ciela looked overboard, calling out Link's name.

"What on earth is happening out there?!" Linebeck yelled from below deck. These two were becoming quite the nuisance.

"I don't know, you tell us! You're the one driving this thing! You sent Link overboard!" Ciela replied back.

In a moment, Linebeck was on the deck and saw Link making his way back to the boat. Linebeck rolled his eyes at him and crossed his arms.

"Going for a swim? Come on kid, we're burning daylight!"

"You're the one who sent him over, Linebeck!" Ciela exclaimed.

"We hit something-" Linebeck insisted, "Probably a reef or something. My ship better not be damaged!"

Ciela barked back at him, "You were the one driving!"

Link laughed. It was honestly pretty funny hearing them bicker. They could never make up their mind and agree on something. They sounded like an old married couple, although Link dared not say that to either of them. He'd be dead for sure if that came out of his mouth.

Once Link was within reaching distance, Linebeck kneeled down and reached his hand out to grab Link and pull him up. Before Link could grab hold, he felt something tug at his arm. Before he could realize what it was, his eyes widened and he was pulled beneath the ocean.

"What the- kid!" Linebeck cried out. "Link!"

"Link!" Ciela screamed.

Link resurfaced, a good distance away from the boat. He frantically looked around at the ocean to see what had done that. Suddenly, he felt a searing pain in his arm. The ocean around him began to turn a crimson red and he was pulled beneath the waves again. A few seconds passed and he'd resurface, screaming and looking to the boat for help.

Linebeck's eyes widened. "Oh goddesses ..."

"What are you waiting for?!" Ciela cried, "Get in there and save him!"

Linebeck stood completely still, shaking in fear. What was he suppose to do? He couldn't swim! What's worse, whatever was attacking Link was still out there somewhere. For all he knew it could be a giant Gyorg attacking Link. He gulped and looked into the water, it's beautiful blue turning a dark, terrible red.

Ciela rammed into Linebeck's back and he lost his balance, falling forward into the water. He let out a scream as he was flung forward and tossed in, hitting the water with a splash. He resurfaced, splashing about frantically, coughing up water that he had swallowed upon impact.

"Listen! You're the only one who can physically get him, Linebeck!" Ciela cried.

"You stupid fairy!" he cried, "I can't swim!" Linebeck struggled to stay afloat as he flailed towards Link. He looked to be dead weight in the water. That Gyorg could be anywhere now, and here was, flailing like an idiot out on the open sea, and a near unconscious Link laying there helpless.

He reached Link finally, and Link, with all of his might, grabbed hold of Linebeck's shoulders with his unaffected arm. Honestly, seeing Linebeck trying to struggle to swim would have been a funny sight … if the circumstances were different. Now both of their lives were in danger.

Linebeck swam for his life. Not knowing how to swim, and keeping both him and the heavy kid on his back afloat was proving to be a struggle. Link opened his eyes and saw the beast coming up right behind him. With the hand he held onto Linebeck, he tugged at Linebeck's coat weakly, trying to get his attention. Linebeck turned around and saw a Gyorg coming right at them! Linebeck screamed and without thinking, kicked his leg right at the beast's snout. The Gyorg roared in agony, and this gave the duo time to get away.

He finally reached the edge of the boat and began to pull himself up onto it. Link began losing grip and slid back into the ocean. At this point, he was unconscious. Both Linebeck and Ciela quickly grabbed hold of him and yanked him back onto the ship. Linebeck sat there, completely out of breath, he looked out into the ocean and saw the fin of the beast circling the boat before it disappeared into the water. They were finally safe.

"Linebeck … l-look at him …" Ciela said, shaking. Linebeck looked down at Link and they both stared in horror.

Blood was seeping from Link's arm, or, at least where his arm once was. All that remained was torn flesh and all the gruesome parts from the inside of his arm poking out. The wooden deck beneath them began to turn a dark mahogany color. Linebeck stared in awe at Link, and he shook in fear. He couldn't believe this. How could this have happened. He was convinced that this was all his fault this had happened.

"Linebeck, what are you waiting for!?" Ciela shouted, ramming into his head, "Stop the bleeding! Take off your coat and wrap it around his arm!"

Linebeck, one to usually argue back at the fairy, could only bear to nod. He removed his soaking big blue trench coat and began to wrap it tightly around the stub that remained. The coat was thick enough, so perhaps it would stop some of the bleeding from happening. However, since it was already wet from water, how well would it soak up the blood. He loved this coat, it was something that his father had passed down to him, but right now, he had to set those feelings aside. Once he tied off the sleeves and made sure it was tight, he backed away from the scene and looked down. Link and himself were sitting in blood. It was getting everywhere.

He didn't know what else to do. What could he do? There were no doctors that he knew of. If he didn't get Link medical attention, he would surely die. He panicked and picked Link up frantically. He brought him below deck to the hub of the ship and set him on one of the bunks in the room. Ciela followed suit.

"What're you doing?!" she cried, "Linebeck, answer me!"

"I- I don't know!" he replied, frantically, "We'll take him to Mercay or something! If we can get him there quick enough, he'll be ok!" Linebeck said, rushing frantically about the small cabin. He walked over to a small bucket filled with water. Inside was a wet rag. He picked it up and chucked it at the small fairy, hoping she would catch it. She dodged it and became furious with the sailor.

"Hey!" she cried, "What are you even doing?! Link is going to _die_! You're worthless!"

"I don't know the first thing about this, Sparkles!" Linebeck yelled back, "Stop yelling at me for once and let me think! You want the kid to live? Then help me by shutting up!"

Ciela became really quiet. She never heard him raise his voice that much. It scared her. She flew over to the rag and then over to Link where she shook the rag off of her face, perfectly landing on the boy's forehead. Link definitely looked worse for wear, and they were running out of time. She looked back at Linebeck, who had finally gone to the steering wheel. The boat jerked aggressively and they were on their way to Mercay Island, where they could hopefully find someone to help Link.

Ciela left Link's side and flew over to Linebeck. She saw a look of worry on his face. No, a look of regret. The poor man trembled and looked as if he was going to fall apart. Ciela looked between him and Link, unknowing of what to do.

"What do we do once we get to Mercay …?" she asked quietly.

"We find someone to fix him up. If not we bring him to Oshus. He'll know to do." Linebeck said sternly, and matter-of-factly.

"Grandpa wouldn't know how to fix something like this …" Ciela said sadly. "This is beyond any of us …"

Linebeck's grip on the steering wheel tightened. They were going to Mercay. They were going to find Link a doctor. He was going to be alright.

"Sparkles," Linebeck started. His voice sounded angry. He paused for a moment and let out a sigh. Not an angry sigh, or a sigh of relief. It sounded like he had been defeated. "Just … go make sure the kid's gonna be ok … Please."

"Ok, Linebeck …" Ciela replied, fluttering away to keep an eye on Link. She looked towards him once again, a tingling noise echoing through the room.

"You know … I'm sure Link really appreciates all of this. You … you've really stepped up and took charge. You're a hero. It's nice, Linebeck."

Linebeck opened his mouth, ready to reply with a witty retort. However, nothing came out. He closed his mouth, sighed, and nodded to Ciela. That's all he could muster. For now, they had to get Link to Mercay Island.

The ship pulled into port and nearly slammed into the dock. Ciela flew on ahead to tell Oshus they were coming. They had decided none of them knew where to find a medic on the island, and going to him would be the best bet. Linebeck carefully picked Link up and, careful not to undo the coat around his arm, and they ran off towards Oshus' house.

Oshus was inside his small house, The Ocean King had made his true appearance known to the others a while back. He was sure they were on their way to forge the Phantom Sword by now. Soon, they'd take Bellum's power back and peace would be restored to the world. Or, at least, that's what he had hoped for. He heard panicked voices calling for him outside and wondered what it could be. The closer they got, he recognized the voices - it was Ciela and Linebeck. He rushed out the door and saw them running down the dirt road towards his house, and what looked like to be a sleeping Link in Linebeck's arms.

"Ciela, Linebeck, what's all the ruckus about?" the Ocean King asked, "What happened to the lad?"

"Linebeck sent Link flying into the ocean and he got attacked by a monster! His … his arms gone!" Ciela cried.

"Sparkles!" Linebeck screamed at her, "Instead of blaming me for what happened-"

Oshus stepped closer, examining Link, and the two stopped their bickering. Linebeck looked down sadly at the kid, as Oshus peeled part of the coat away to examine Link's arm. Linebeck felt a burning sensation in his arms from having carried him for a while. He looked at Oshus with worried eyes.

"Is he going to be ok, old man …?" Linebeck asked, "I … I came to you because I figured-"

Oshus turned away, waving his staff for them to follow. "Enough of your babbling, Linebeck. Bring him inside. You too Ciela."

Linebeck and Ciela nodded and followed Oshus into his home. Ciela would've loved to be home, but right now, she needed to help however she could. She followed Linebeck and Oshus into one of the bedrooms and saw Linebeck set Link down on one of the beds.

"He's lost a lot of blood, Linebeck," Oshus said worriedly. "You're lucky he's still breathing."

"I didn't know what else do to!" Linebeck argued back, "I hoped the coat would stop the bleeding but …" Linebeck sighed angrily, "I try to help and I don't get any appreciation."

Oshus turned to Linebeck, "You want appreciation for saving the lad? It should be a given that you'd do this for him. You're his caretaker now. If he dies, his blood is on your hands, Linebeck." he said in a serious tone.

In a huff, Linebeck turned and stormed out of the room, slamming the door behind him. Ciela watched as he left and then flew over to Oshus, who was preparing bandages and everything he needed to save Link.

"Is he going to be alright, grandpa?" Ciela asked. "He doesn't look too good …"

"Perhaps." Oshus replied, "Right now, I need some room to work, Ciela. You and Linebeck go wait for me to finish, please."

Ciela nodded. Oshus opened the door for her and she flew out, hearing the door lock behind her. She looked around the main room and saw Linebeck nowhere. She checked the extra rooms and saw no sign of him anywhere. Finally, she looked out the front door and saw him sitting on the front stairs, head buried in his arms. She flew over to him, a tingling noise let him knew she was coming.

"Are you okay …?" she asked. "Linebeck …?"

Linebeck kept his head buried in his arms. He didn't respond to her. He seemed motionless. She had never seen him like this before. It was definitely strange and saddening seeing him like this. She flew in front of his face and bobbed her body against the top of his head.

"Linebeck, please, answer me." she said quietly.

"Go away, Sparkles." he mumbled. "Don't you want to help Oshus?"

"He sent me away. He needs time and quiet to help Link." she explained. She fluttered next to him, ignoring his wishes for her to leave.

Moments passed in silence and finally, Linebeck uttered words.

"It's my fault," he croaked, "This happened because of me. It's like you said before, I'm worthless."

"I … I didn't mean-" Ciela's stuttering was cut off by Linebeck.

"You didn't mean to say it?" he asked, raising his head from his arms, "Well, you did. And you know what? You were completely right."

"Linebeck …"

"All my life I've been stingy and a coward," he explained, "I finally show courage and save the damn kid's life, and what do I get? Nothing. Absolutely nothing."

"You … you wanted something in turn for saving Link's life?" Ciela asked.

"Yes? I- I don't know." Linebeck buried his head again and sighed, "No. I don't. I just want him to be alright …"

"We all do … it's not just you." she sighed, "You know, I stick by what I said earlier-"

"About me being worthless?" Linebeck asked.

"No!" she yelled, "About you being a hero! You saved Link's life, and I'm sure he'll be extremely grateful."

"If I hadn't hit that Gyorg, then this wouldn't have happened in the first place." he replied. "If I …"

He sighed and brought his head up. He shook his head to the side and stood up, walking off, away from Ciela.

"Where are you going?" Ciela asked, "Linebeck!"

He didn't answer. He had to get away for now. Ciela's constant whining was giving him a headache. He couldn't stand to be around any of them right now. And the thought of Link dying because of him filled him with so much regret. He needed to be ok. He had to.

Hours passed and stars dotted the night sky. Mercay Island was at peace, After spending some time at the ship for some well deserved peace and quiet, Linebeck started on his way back to the house, He felt tired, and every part of his body ached from attempting to swim. His eyes felt like they would close and he would pass out in the middle of the road. He was exhausted.

Eventually, Oshus' house came into view, and he saw a bright, yellow light on the steps, presumably Ciela. He got closer and saw Oshus sitting next to her. The duo heard footsteps coming up the road and looked over to see Linebeck.

Everyone was quiet and Linebeck assumed the worst. _He's dead …_ He thought, a lump growing in his throat. _He's dead and it's all my fault._ He stared at the ground, not wanting to make eye contact with either of them.

"You can rest easy, Linebeck," Oshus said in a calming voice, "The lad is alright. He could be better, but, he'll live."

Linebeck suddenly looked at Oshus. A small, relieved smile overcome his face, "Really?"

Oshus nodded, "He's asleep right now. You can go inside and see him if you want."

Linebeck nodded and began up the stairs. Suddenly, Oshus spoke up as Linebeck got to the door.

"There was no way I could save his arm …" Oshus said quietly, "It was completely torn off." The Ocean King shook his head, "The child is going to be an amputee for the rest of his life."

Those words hit Linebeck like a bullet. Oshus could have just left it at what he said prior. Things would've been fine, but now the guilt was eating away at him even more now. He nodded and walked inside the house.

"Grandpa, how's Link going to defeat Bellum and save Tetra now?" she asked quietly. "That was his left arm … the one he used his sword with …"

Oshus closed his eyes, "I do not know, my dear. We can only hope for things to get better for the lad."

Ciela nodded, her wings drooping a bit. Oshus put his hand beneath her and gave her a warming smile. "Let's head back inside, yes?"

"Ok, Grandpa …"

Linebeck froze outside of the room. His hand hovered over the doorknob, but he couldn't bring himself to open it. He didn't know if he'd be able to see the kid in the state he was in. He sighed, and finally gathering up what small amounts of courage he had left, he walked inside.

He closed the door behind him and saw Link laying in the bed. His heart sank. He was just a kid. He didn't deserve any of this. He found a nearby chair and pulled it up next to the bed. Linebeck saw the stub of an arm that remained attached; it was covered in clean bandages. Link lay there, looking to be sleeping peacefully. Suddenly, something caught his eye. The box frame of the bed had Linebeck's blue coat draped on the side. He brought his hand to feel it. It was wet, but there weren't any visible blood stains anymore. Old man Oshus had washed it for him. He smiled, knowing Oshus meant well after all. That smile slowly disappeared as his eyes moved back to Link.

Linebeck looked at Link, and sighed. He felt horrible. His face looked pale, his tiny body was broken. He really messed this kid up. He crossed his arms on the side of the bed and buried his face in them. Seeing what he had caused, seeing what Link has to go through from now on, and it was all his fault. He felt like crying. Suddenly, he felt someone grab a hold of his shoulder. He looked up and found a smiling Link looking at him, tired, but still smiling.

Seeing him smile like that, even considering the amount of pain he must've been in made Linebeck break down. He hugged Link, careful not to hurt him in any way. He was warm, the kind of warm someone feels like when they're sick. Linebeck's grip on the child tightened and he trembled, holding him in his arms. Link went to wrap his arms around the crying man when he noticed, he couldn't move his left arm. He looked down and noticed it was gone. His eyes became cloudy and filled with sadness. Not only because of his lost limb, but also because he could feel Linebeck shaking. The man who boasted about how brave he was- the man who was actually really selfish and care for no one but himself, was breaking down over him. He wrapped his right arm around his back and hugged him back.

"Kid- Link- I'm so sorry …" Linebeck said, his voice cracking, "It's my fault that this happened. It's my fault that your arm is …" he sighed a shaky breath, "I'm sorry …"

Link parted from the hug and Linebeck went back to a sitting position, wiping his eyes free of any tears. Link sighed and smiled, shaking his head. He knew it wasn't Linebeck's fault. Linebeck, looked away unable to make eye contact with Link. In an effort to show Linebeck he didn't care about all this, he placed his hand on top of the other's. He was fine, he was alive. Linebeck brought his other hand over and cupped the younger's hand in his own.

"Link, I promise," he said shakily, "I'm going to change. Well, I'm going to try at the very least …"

Link let out a quiet chuckled and rested his head against the pillow behind him. He felt tired, and his arm was hurting. He closed his eyes, and even though he was in pain, he felt content. He was alive. Suddenly, he remembered; Tetra was still a statue in Linebeck's ship, the sword still needed to be forged, Bellum was still on the loose. Link shot up, immediately without warning, scaring Linebeck. Link had moved so fast that his wound reopened and the bandages started to become damp with blood. Link took hold of his stub, and grunted in pain.

"Kid, why the hell did you do that?" Linebeck asked, reaching forward, "You opened your wound …"

He looked around the room to see if Oshus had left the bandages laying around. He finally found them in plain sight, sitting on the bedside table. He took the pin out that held Link's current bandages in place. Linebeck unravelled the old bandages and finally removed them. What he saw shocked him.

The stub from where his arm once was, was admittedly an ugly sight to see, but Linebeck couldn't say that to the kids face. Stitches were lined up that sewed his skin back together. One of the stitches had come loose, and blood began dripping again. Linebeck cringed, not wanting to do this anymore, but Oshus was away. He had to. He wrapped the bandages as neatly as he could around the wound, doubling over in some areas. Once done, he pinned off the bandages and set the extra aside.

"Listen, kid. I know you wanna get a move on, but you need to rest …" Linebeck said, "Trust me, I don't like staying in one place for very long either. But, you're hurt. We're staying here for as long as you need."

Link shook his head vigorously. He tried sitting up, and flinched as pain shot through his whole body. He sighed angrily and lay back down, feeling defeated. He looked up at Linebeck, almost pleading for them to leave as soon as possible.

"Don't look at me like that kid. We're staying and that's that." he said sternly.

A sad look came over Link, and he turned away from Linebeck to face the wall. It felt weird not to be able to bring his left arm over his body. Instead, the stub sat there uncomfortably.

Linebeck sighed and pulled the sheets up over Link. "Just try to get some rest." he said, "Tomorrow we'll see how you feel."

Link didn't respond. Not even a nod or anything. _Great,_ Linebeck thought, _now he's pissed at me._ Linebeck stood up, and walked over to the candle at the bedside table. He blew it out and walked towards the door, opening it quietly.

"Night, kid …"

He closed the door, and as soon as he left, Link broke down. He wanted to help Tetra. He needed to get that sword forged. He HAD to defeat Bellum! How could he do all that when he's missing an arm. He knew Linebeck was miserable about what had happened, and he felt awful that Linebeck felt that way. How could he be a hero though, if he doesn't have the arm he fights with? He buried his face into his pillow, and although it took a while, he finally found the sleep he desperately needed.


	2. Chapter 2

Nobody in the Oshus household got a wink of sleep that night. Oshus and Linebeck were too concerned for Link and would end up checking on him every so often. Link barely got any sleep due to the increasing discomfort he felt everywhere on his body. Ciela had gone back to the ship to speak with Leaf and Neri who were honestly clueless about what had just happened. Everything happened so fast, and it almost seemed surreal. Linebeck never was able to shake off the fact that this was all his fault. No matter how many times Oshus and Ciela told him otherwise, that's how he thought, and everyone knows once this man's mind is set, it's set for good.

The following morning, the trio let Link sleep in. There was no rush for them to get moving. Bellum showed no signs of himself anywhere, so that was good. Tetra was safe and sound in Linebeck's ship as well. All that was left was to forge the sword and take care of Bellum. Although, now it was going to be all the more difficult, now that Link was injured.

Linebeck left early in the morning and went to the milk bar. He needed to get his mind off of everything. Ciela and Oshus also left the house, but they didn't go far. They were gathering food for a well deserved feast. Everyone figured Link would enjoy that. The kid needed something to look forward to.

Linebeck walked into the milk bar and barely anybody was there that early in the morning. The bartender noticed his regular and gave him a nod. Linebeck nodded back and sat down at the counter. The bartender noticed something was off, but didn't ask about it immediately.

"The usual, Linebeck?" he asked. Linebeck gave him a nod.

Once he received his drink, he didn't even chug it as he usually did. He just stared at the glass, his eyes full of guilt. Finally, the bartender spoke up.

"Something seems off about you, Linebeck. Did something happen?"

Linebeck rubbed the back of his head and looked away. "It's nothing. Nothing the Great Man of the Sea can't handle, that is!" he put up a facade, and he thought it was working, until the bartender raised an eyebrow at him.

"Every time you come in here, you're as cheerful as ever." he explained, "This morning, you seemed drained … defeated. But, then again, it's nothing the Great Linebeck can't handle, right?"

Linebeck sighed, and rested his elbows on the counter, running his hands through his hair. "That kid I've been travelling with? He got into an accident …"

"An accident? What kind of accident?" the bartender asked, now intrigued.

"He … he fell off of my ship, and into the ocean." Linebeck explained, "There was a monster that attacked him. The poor kid lost his arm …"

The bartender's eyes widened, "Hmm, well that's not good."

Linebeck looked up at the bartender and gave him an angered look. "Really? That's all you're going to say? Of course it's not good! The kid's arm is missing because of-" he cut himself off, not wanting to talk anymore.

"Because of?" the bartender mimicked back, "Because of the monster?"

Linebeck sighed, "Because of me …"

"Now, why would you say that? Surely you didn't mean for this to happen."

"If I hadn't been so careless with my driving, then the kid wouldn't have fallen overboard … it's my fault this happened to him. I did jump in and save him, but it was too late … and now his arm is gone forever. If only there was a way to rewind time ..."

The bartender rested his arms on the counter and was eye level with Linebeck. The sailor looked at him, worried of what he was going to say.

"Linebeck, you saved the lad." the bartender said, "You saved his life. The Great Linebeck, who can't swim to save his life, jumped into a monster infested ocean to save a child that isn't even your own. Now that … that takes courage. You're a hero."

Linebeck buried his head into his arms. "I'm no hero. I don't deserve the title."

The bartender stepped away from the counter and shook his head. "Strange. It's almost as if this changed you. The old Linebeck would've started bragging if someone called him a hero. It's a shame that someone has to be injured in order for you to change your ways."

Linebeck felt insulted. He wanted to get away from everything going on at the house, and even where he goes to get away from it all, he's still being insulted. Ciela, Oshus, and now the bartender. He couldn't win.

"But, I do stand by my word. You are a hero. Whether you think it or not. You're a good man, Linebeck. It seems like you may be having a change of heart."

Linebeck's mouth curved into a smile. He couldn't tell if he was being insulted or praised anymore. He took it as it was and finished his drink. He wished he could embrace his 'hero' title. But, that's not for him. That title belongs to Link, after all.

Link struggled to put his shirt on over the bandages. However, with one arm, it was quite the struggle. The pin that was used for the bandages caught his green shirt and pulled, making him flinch in pain. Eventually, he finally got it over his body and situated it how he wanted it. It felt uncomfortable, even if it was put on right. The sleeve from his shirt dangled down over his missing limb and as he looked in the mirror in his room, it became apparent how strange he really looked. He threw over his green tunic, struggling more so with that than his shirt. When it came to buckling his belt, that was where the challenge came in, but, he had to learn to do things using one arm. He wasn't going to let anyone help him. He didn't need help, not from anyone.

Once he was dressed, albeit rather sloppily, he peered out of his room, and didn't see anybody in the main room. Oshus, Ciela, and Linebeck were all gone. He saw this as the perfect opportunity to slip away without being caught. He knew for certain if they were here, they'd tell him to rest some more. He opened the door, and tried locating his sword and shield. They weren't anywhere to be found. Then it hit him. They were still in the ship. He'd have to sneak through town to get back to the ship. If the others weren't outside, they were definitely in town, and for all Link knew, Linebeck could very well be in the ship.

He peered out the front and saw no one. No one was outside, and he didn't want to risk being seen either. He snuck out of the house and stayed off the road. He would've taken the back way with the monsters to avoid seeing anybody, but without his sword and shield, there would be absolutely nothing he could do. It was hard enough getting through without his sword _with_ his arm, it'd be near impossible _without_ his arm.

Once he got to the bridge that connected Oshus' house from the rest of the island, he quickly ran across the bridge and hid behind the treeline, being sure nobody saw him. He stayed hidden among the trees as he made his way towards town.

Just his luck. The town was bustling. If someone saw Link, he knew they'd make a commotion, and wherever the other's were, they'd hear it and scold Link for being up. He hid behind building after building, making his way towards Linebeck's ship. He didn't see any sign of his friends, and that was a good thing. His plan was to sneak around to the woods behind Oshus' house and fight some of the monsters. He hoped with a little practice, he'd be able to master sword fighting with one arm.

The ship was finally within his sights. No one was over by the port, and that made it easy for him to slip inside, unnoticed. He ran to the port, and into the ship. Once below deck, he tried remembering where he could have left his things. He saw the statue of Tetra in the corner, and it made him sad to look at her. _Soon_ , he thought, _soon I'll save you …_

After a few minutes of looking, he finally found his sword and shield. He put his shield on his back, although, missing an arm really did make for a weird holding place for it. He equipped his sword, and exited the boat quickly before Linebeck showed up.

He was just as stealthy as when he came into town, and now, he was headed for the forest. Once he reached the forest, it seemed calm. Perhaps Bellum really was becoming weak. Link couldn't see any more monsters. Perhaps, things were becoming peaceful again?

Suddenly, a red glop began forming on the ground. Link prepared his sword, holding it awkwardly in his right hand. The chu chu began it's way towards Link sluggishly. Link danced around the red creature, waiting for it to strike. He got his sword ready to deflect it whenever it attacked. The creature shrunk and then lunged itself at Link. He was ready to deflect but he had never held a sword with his right hand before, and as the chu chu jumped at Link, it hit him.

Link dropped his sword at the hit and backed away, shaking away the hit. It didn't hurt too much, but he knew that this was going to be a long training session. He ran and picked up his sword, dodging the slow moving monster. He was ready for it this time.

As if on cue, more chu chus arose from the ground. Link looked around, seeing more monsters circling around him. He gulped and moved out of the enclosing circle around him. If he could pick them off one by one, it'd be easier. He slashed at one of the monsters, and it died in a single blow. Link's form was off. He wasn't handling the sword properly, and it felt weird to use it with his right hand. No matter how awkward it felt for him, he kept going. He had to get this right.

He jumped at another chu, ready to actually attack this one with power.

It didn't work.

Link kept at it though. It was trial and error until he eventually got things right.

It was about midday when Linebeck returned to Oshus' house. Outside he found a frantic Ciela who seemed to be searching the area outside. She noticed Linebeck and immediately flew over to him. He was taken aback by her when she got right up in his face.

"Have you seen Link?!" she cried.

"You mean he's not in his room?" Linebeck asked, sounding just as concerned.

"No! He's gone! Grandpa went looking for him in the town! I've been searching around here!" she looked off to the path that connected to the forest, "Do you suppose Link could have headed off into the forest?"

Linebeck rubbed his forehead angrily. "This is why one of us should have stayed at the house. I'll look out in the forest, you keep looking around here."

She nodded, and the two went off on their own to search for Link.

Linebeck came to the forest, and looked around, searching for any signs of Link. However, he didn't see much, and it worried him.

"Kid!" he shouted, "Link, where are you!?"

There was no answer. It didn't help that Link was quiet at the best of times. Linebeck groaned angrily and continued his search further into the forest. Once he made his way deeper into the thicket, he finally found Link. He was standing, hunched over, breathing heavily.

"Link!" Linebeck exclaimed. Link looked back, wide eyed. His face was covered in bruises and scratches. His clothes were torn and ruffled up. The kid had been practicing for hours, and fighting so many monsters had really taken a toll on him.

Linebeck bent down to be at eye level with Link. He looked at him with a serious expression. Link felt like he was going to yell, and flinched, waiting for a screaming session from him. Linebeck sighed and his serious expression turned to one of understanding.

"You shouldn't be out here, kid …" he said quietly, "I'm surprised you're even moving at all." Linebeck saw how Link's sleeve draped down. His stub wasn't visible, but one could definitely tell he had a missing limb. His own heart sank into his stomach. He felt awful.

"You need to go back to the house." Linebeck said sternly. "You need to rest. The sooner you get better, the sooner we can shove off."

Just as Link was about to protest, more red globs sprung up from the ground. The coward inside Linebeck shone through, and he immediately hid behind Link. Link prepared his sword and was ready to fight off the chu chus. He was ready to show Linebeck how much he had been training. He was ready! They'd be able to leave after all!

Just as Link was ready to attack, he lifted his arm, sword in hand, and felt a sharp pain shoot up through his body. He stopped mid jump and came back to the ground, kneeling down in pain as his sword clanged against the ground. He grunted in pain and hunched over, holding his shoulder. Linebeck let out a terrified yelp. Link was down and in pain, and monsters were surrounding thinking, Linebeck sprang into action and scooped Link up before the chu chus could get to them. Link grabbed his sword quickly before Linebeck ran off, forgetting it there. Once they were safe, Linebeck set Link down and took a breather.

Link looked back at the forest and began walking back. Linebeck took hold of his arm. He looked at him angrily. Link looked up at him with wide, sad eyes.

"You are not going back there, Link!" he shouted. "Your wound is still causing you pain. You need to rest up. You'll prove nothing to me dead."

Link looked down and pulled his arm away from Linebeck's grasp. He took hold of his sword, and trudged back to Oshus' house. Linebeck followed him, making sure he wouldn't fake him out. He knew he shouldn't have yelled at him, but how else was Link going to listen to him?

"When we get back, you need to get those bandages changed. Oshus can fix you up." Linebeck said.

Link shook his head, still looking at the ground as they walked. He didn't want help. He didn't need help. He was doing fine before Linebeck showed up earlier. Even without an arm, he was still a hero. He needed to prove it.

"Look, I don't know how long you were out there, but you need to know when to quit. If you got hurt again, none of us would know what to do …"

Link stopped and looked back at Linebeck, giving him a sad look.

"I can't stop you from leaving the house." Linebeck admitted, "but, you can't keep pushing yourself. You're going to wind up killing yourself."

Link nodded, and headed off towards the house. Linebeck sighed and followed. Soon they got back to the house and found Oshus and Ciela speaking with each other on the front steps. They both looked over and saw Linebeck and Link returning. Relieved expressions crossed their faces and they went to greet them.

"You found the lad … that's wonderful …" Oshus said, relieved.

"Link, where did you go?" Ciela asked, "We were worried sick!" She looked Link over and bobbed curiously, "Your clothes are all torn, and you're covered in bruises … Link what happened ...?"

Link shrugged, and walked back into the house. His sword hung low and clanked against the steps as he walked up them, The others watched his slumped figure walk inside.

"I found him out in the forest. The poor kid was working himself to death. I don't know how long he's been out there fighting monsters, but he's covered in cuts and everything ... " Linebeck explained. "I don't like what he's trying to prove. He needs to rest."

Oshus nodded, "That goes without saying. The sword can wait to be forged. Bellum will wait until the perfect moment to attack. That moment is when the sword is indeed forged. He has time to relax and regain his strength, so he will."

"Couldn't have put it better myself, old man." Linebeck replied. "I wasn't planning on leaving until he's fully recovered, anyway."

Ciela's wings drooped, "It's sad though … he feels like he needs to prove to us in that way that he's ok … He's willing to risk his safety and go off and fight monsters when he's clearly not ready …"

Linebeck glanced down, "It's not like he's not used to it … I send him out all the time to go search for treasures. I can't imagine the monsters he has to deal with …"

"Linebeck, you can't blame yourself over everything that's happened … it was an accident …" Ciela said quietly.

"She's right." Oshus replied. "Don't dwell on the past. All you can do now is help him however you can. That's all any of us can do for him."

Linebeck shook his head. "He doesn't want any help. I'm sure of it. I'm not sure what that kid is thinking, but I can read his face like a book. He's annoyed. He doesn't want to stay put, and I don't blame him …"

Everyone remained silent. It was true. Link was never one to ask for help. If Linebeck sent him off onto an island, he'd go without a care in the world. He'd come back, battle scars all over, and he'd fix himself up. He didn't need anybody. Linebeck felt the only reason he was still around was because he needed his ship to get around.

Linebeck shook his head. "I'm going inside and make sure he's ok."

"Grandpa and I got a bunch of food today. With it we can make a great dinner!" Ciela said, her mood suddenly changing. "Things will look up soon!"

Linebeck forced a smile. "Yeah, I'm sure, Sparkles."

The trio headed inside and while Ciela and Oshus went to prepare the food, Linebeck went to Link's room to check up on him. Link was probably pretty aggravated at him for stopping his training session earlier. If he was, Linebeck wouldn't blame him. All the kid wanted to do was save his friend, and now he's in more trouble than any of its worth. Linebeck sighed and opened the door to Link's room.

"Kid, how're you holding up?" Linebeck asked, walking inside.

Link paid no attention to Linebeck, as he bent his arm back to try and change his bandages. Having bandages all along his shoulder and chest made it impossible for for him to reach with just one arm. Linebeck saw he was struggling and walked over to him.

"Do you need some help with that?" he asked, letting out a chuckle. Admittedly, watching Link attempt this was pretty funny. Link shook his head and continued to try and reach the pin on his back, but to no avail, he couldn't reach it. Linebeck reached for the pin and unclipped it. Link looked back at him, smirking as he tried grabbing the pin back from him, but he was much too short to grab it as Linebeck stood up tall. The two laughed as Link struggled to try and grab it back.

Once they calmed down, Linebeck set the pin aside. "I'll change them for you, if you'd like." he said, "You don't need to be hurting yourself."

Link nodded and sat on the edge of the bed, giving up at trying to do this himself. Linebeck sat next to him and began unravelling the old bandages around his shoulder area. As he unravelled it, he could see the stitches alongside the bottom of his stub and going up towards his shoulder. Because he had been moving around all day, the area around the stitches seemed red and painful. Linebeck felt the guilt coming back again.

"Kid, you really should rest for a few more days …" he said quietly, "Your wound is only going to get worse if you keep moving your shoulders and arm frantically …"

He saw Link glance down and nod slowly. He hated seeing the kid like this. He didn't deserve this at all. Linebeck began wrapping new bandages around Link once the old ones were off.

"It should only take a few days for your stub to heal, then the stitches can come out." Linebeck explained, "Oshus can do that, and we'll be on our way. Sound good?"

Link nodded once again. He was always quiet, and honestly it was both a blessing and a curse for Linebeck. On one hand, he enjoyed the peace and quiet, and Link not talking kept that peace on the ship. On the other hand, he couldn't exactly tell what Link was feeling either. Sure, Link was plenty expressive, but sometimes it could be difficult to read his mind.

"Oshus said that Bellum is hiding away. Once we get the sword forged, that's when Bellum will finally show himself. But, you won't be alone," Linebeck assured him, "Because you've got Oshus, Sparkles, and I at your side."

Link glanced back at Linebeck, his eyes full of bewilderment. Linebeck actually said he was going to be at his side? Was this actually Linebeck? Link smiled, it felt nice knowing he could finally count on him.

Linebeck pinned the bandages together, and set the extra bandages aside. "Alright, kid. You're ship-shape!"

Link hopped off the bed and reached for his green shirt. Using his one hand, he struggled to put it over his head. Linebeck stood up and helped the shirt over his head and arm. Link pulled away, and shook his head giving Linebeck a semi-angry look.

"Look, kid, I know it's embarrassing getting help putting your clothes on, but you're struggling. You need to let us help you."

Link shook his head and took hold of his green tunic, sliding it over his head. He struggled some more, and Linebeck went to offer his help, but Link shuffled away, attempting to get it on. Finally, he managed to pull it over his head and arms. He glanced at Linebeck, acting pretty smug after he achieved that.

Linebeck rolled his eyes, smiling. What was he gonna do with this kid? Link fixed his belt and once he was done, the two walked out of the room to join Oshus and Ciela.

The entire household was treated to an amazing feast. Link hadn't eaten this well in a long while, and it felt amazing. Linebeck didn't have much food on the ship, only some bread and water. Not much in the way of food, but it kept them both going. Ciela didn't need to eat, being a fairy and all. The four enjoyed their supper and for once, all of them almost forgot what had happened to Link the day prior. Link seemed to be in good spirits, everything considered. They all hoped it would last.

They finished their dinner and all decided to turn in early for the night. Linebeck retreated back to the ship, Ciela stayed at Oshus' side, and Oshus watched over Link. They hoped tomorrow would be a good day too.


	3. Chapter 3

Once again, Link was up the next day without any trouble. Linebeck and the others insisted Link should stay in bed, but Link had other thoughts. He wanted desperately to go back into the forest and fight more monsters. He had to perfect fighting with his right arm. How else would he be able to defeat Bellum? However, this time it was more difficult to leave the house, because all of them were there that day. Link should've guessed that they wouldn't leave him alone a second time.

Link walked out into the main room of the house and gave a wave to all of his friends. Oshus nodded back at Link and Linebeck gave him a wave. Ciela flew over to Link and danced around his head. Link brought his right hand up to Ciela and smiled at her.

"How're you feeling today kid? Any better?" Linebeck asked.

Link looked at the sailor and nodded. Ciela moved to Link's bandaged stub and studied it herself. Link glanced down at her curiously.

"Does it hurt at all …?" Ciela asked quietly.

Link shook his head, assuring all of them that he was alright. Oshus walked over to Link and also studied the boy's dismembered arm.

"Tomorrow it should be healed for the most part. I can take out the stitches then." he explained. Link's eyes widened with excitement. Finally! They'd get taken off!

"But," Oshus started, "For now, you need to rest. You can't be going off into the forest quite yet. You got badly bruised up yesterday, my lad. Tomorrow once the stitches are out, you can train as much as you'd like."

It was frustrating to Link that he still couldn't train. He just wanted to save Tetra. Linebeck stepped forward and looked down at Link with a smile.

"Don't worry kid, as soon as you're ready, we'll set off to see Zauz. We've got the metals, all we need is the Phantom Sword, right Old Man?" Linebeck asked Oshus. Oshus nodded. "Yeah, so we're golden! You take the time to rest up. You'll need your strength."

Ciela flew over to Linebeck and bobbed around his head playfully. "Aw, Linebeck, what's gotten into you~?" she asked happily, "You seem so nice towards Link now~"

Linebeck turned away, a smug look returning to him. "Now? What are you talking about Sparkles? I've always been nice towards the kid! Isn't that right, Link?"

Link shrugged and gave Linebeck an unsure look. Ciela and Oshus howled with laughter as Linebeck stared in awe at Link's response. Everyone was happy to see that Link was indeed in good spirits despite everything that had happened as of late.

Oshus walked up to Link, "While you can't go out into the forest, you're more than welcome to take a stroll outside and around the village. Restricting you to the house just isn't fair if you're able to walk just fine."

Link nodded, giving Oshus a contented smile. Ciela flew up to Link and bobbed happily. "I could go with you if you'd like, Link~" Link nodded, happily accepting her company.

"I need to go check on a few things at the ship. You two are welcome to come along, just don't be annoying while we're there!"

Ciela and Link both sighed. _There's the Linebeck we all know,_ Link thought. The duo headed outside before Linebeck. Just as the sailor was about to follow them, Oshus stopped him.

"Link should be resting for weeks, Linebeck …" he explained, "It isn't safe for him to be out fighting monsters so soon after the stitches are taken out."

Linebeck nodded, "I know that. But, who are we to stop him? If he stays cooped up in the house, he's never going to save his little friend."

"If we don't stop him, he could get seriously injured." Oshus added, "I know the lad doesn't like it, but he needs to be looked after. He can't go around saving the world when he could injure himself at the flick of his wrist."

Linebeck nodded, but then looked back at Oshus with a smile. "You haven't seen what this kid is capable of. He's plenty strong, Old Man! If all he needs is three days, then all he needs is three days!"

"Linebeck, please, be practical." Oshus said sternly, "If Link gets killed his-"

Linebeck walked off, "I know, I know, his blood will be on my hands," he replied, "his blood already was on my hands …"

He sighed, having said that and walked down the steps to Link and Ciela. The duo looked at him sadly, Linebeck bit back his guilt and ruffled Link's hair and bopped Ciela with his hand.

"Come on, dogs, let's go." Linebeck said. They both nodded and followed after him. Oshus watched from the doorway and shook his head.

"What am I going to do with them …?"

* * *

The trio made it to town, and saw people bustling around. Link, usually one to see what the villagers were doing, cowered behind Linebeck. He looked back at Link and noticed how close he was to him.

"Kid, what's wrong, you're like a slug- what's going on?" he asked.

Link shook his head, assuring him it was nothing. Linebeck rolled his eyes and continued on towards the ship. Ciela flew down to Link and looked at him.

"Trying to hide your arm …?" she asked. Link nodded helplessly. "Don't worry, Link, we'll be at the ship soon!"

Linebeck felt awful. Link was hiding himself, when he usually was one to run around and see how people were doing. It didn't help that villagers kept looking their way and giving Link a and company a wave. Of course, Link would wave back, but he tried his best to keep his left arm concealed.

However, a villager came right up to Link and his friends with a big smile on his face.

"Well, if it isn't the Great Captain Linebeck~" the villager said happily, "Going off on an excursion?"

Linebeck shook his head, "Ha, as much as I'd love to, I'm docking here for a few more days." Linebeck said, putting on his brave facade. "However, the sea calls to me, and a real man of the sea can't stay away for long!"

Link and Ciela snickered behind him. Seeing Linebeck act like this after getting to know him for months was a pretty ridiculous, albeit funny sight. Linebeck glared back at the two of them, and the villager noticed the two behind him. Link quickly swung his stub behind his back, flinching at the sudden pain that shot through his body.

"Oh, right, this is the kid who's been searching for the Ghost Ship with you." the villager said, "Any luck finding it?"

Link nodded, offering the man a smile. The man gave Link at hardy pat on the back and sent him flying to the ground. "Well good job! I hope you found a decent amount of treasur-"

The man cut himself off, and saw Link struggling to his feet with only one arm. The sleeve on his left arm dangled so that it was shockingly obvious that Link didn't have an arm there anymore. The man looked at Linebeck and then back at Link, shocked.

"What happened to your arm, kid?" the man asked, "Oh goddesses, Linebeck, what happened to him?"

Linebeck sighed, guess it couldn't be hidden forever. "It was a gyorg. It came out of nowhere and attacked him …"

Link looked down at the ground, bringing his stub behind him again, looking away from both of them. Ciela looked at Link worriedly.

"Link …?" she asked quietly. He didn't look up at her.

"Well, I'm sure the Great Linebeck jumped in to save you, no doubt!" the man said, trying to lighten the mood.

Linebeck rubbed the back of his neck and nodded. "Heh, yeah. I couldn't just let the poor kid go out like that. Even a hero needs to be saved sometimes!"

To everyone's surprise, Link bolted off for the ship, ignoring any calls made to him. Ciela chased after him, and Linebeck bid farewell to the obvious fan of his.

"Link!" Ciela cried.  
"Kid! Slow down!" Linebeck yelled.

By the time they made it to the boat, Link was gone. Ciela flew around deck looking for him, and Linebeck looked around as well. They both noticed the latch to the inside of the ship had been flung open, and they both hurried inside.

"Kid? You in here? Link!" Linebeck called out. Once down the stairs, Linebeck and Ciela saw Link standing by the statue of Tetra. His head was drooped, and he looked like he was shaking.

"Kid, are you okay?" Linebeck asked, walking towards him. Ciela flew over to Link and looked at him.

"Link, don't cry it'll be alright!" Ciela exclaimed. "Oh … Linebeck, what do we do …?"

 _Great, now he's crying,_ Linebeck thought. If only that villager could've kept his comments to himself. If only he hadn't done the things he did. Linebeck walked over to Link and placed a hand on his shoulder, Link's head slowly perked up, but he didn't look at either Ciela or Linebeck.

"You can't let what that guy said get to you, kid …" Linebeck said calmingly. Link gave him what almost seemed like a small nod. "Or is it about me bragging about how I saved you …? I know, I didn't really save you … I only saved half of you …"

Link turned to face Linebeck with wide eyes, his cheeks stained with tear marks. Linebeck felt about ready to break, himself. Link suddenly embraced Linebeck in a hug, burying his face into his coat. Little sobs escaped him. He didn't want Linebeck thinking it was his fault. It really wasn't. He wish there was something he could do to show him it wasn't.

Linebeck hesitated before hugging Link back, his arms shakily wrapping around the younger one. Ciela's wings drooped as she nuzzled against both of their faces. She hated seeing them both like this.

"Linebeck, no one blames you …" Ciela said quietly. "Both Link and I are happy for what you did, right Link?" Link gave a little nod, still burying his face. "What you did was the bravest thing ever. You risked your life to save Link, and that's very admirable, I think …"

Linebeck sighed, closing his eyes. He felt a lump return to his throat. "It still wasn't enough … and because my carelessness, Link had to pay for it …"

Link finally parted from the hug and looked up at Linebeck, shaking his head fast. Linebeck sighed and put a hand on Link's head. "Look, kid, I know you don't want to think it's true, but it really is my fault. You use to be so sociable with the villagers, and earlier you were hiding from them. I noticed."

"Linebeck …" Ciela said quietly.

"Everything that happened, your arm, your insecurities … it's all because of me …" Linebeck said, bringing a hand to his face. He clenched his other hand into a fist. Tears fell from his face. "I'm so sorry, Link … I really am just a worthless man. I can't even do one thing right …"

Link slowly hugged Linebeck again and felt the older wrap his arms around him again, sobbing into his shoulder. It felt strange, seeing him cry. No one would've ever thought someone like him would be one to cry so willingly in front of others. Ciela flew up to his face and spoke quietly.

"Linebeck, you're not worthless. You've been such a great help to both Link and I so far. You've been such a great friend too! Sure, there's times where I wanna thrash my entire being against you to teach you a lesson, but … you really mean so much more than you give yourself credit for!"

Link nodded in agreement. Linebeck had provided a ship for them to use, they found the Ghost Ship thanks to him, and it's because of him that Link was even alive at this point.

"Link wouldn't have gotten far without you, Linebeck." Ciela explained, "You've helped him with his quest. I'm sure Tetra will be grateful for your help too."

Link glanced over at the statue of Tetra and nodded. He parted from the hug and looked up at Linebeck. Tears still stained his cheeks, but he managed to give Linebeck a reassuring smile. Linebeck looked to both of them and brought his sleeve up to wipe his own face.

"Thank you, Ciela … Thank you Link …" Under normal circumstances, both Link and Ciela would've been shocked that he addressed them without nicknames or snarky remarks. But, right now, they were just glad to be with each other.

Linebeck looked down at Link, giving him a sad smile. "I told you I was going to change, Link, and I intend on keeping my promise."

Ciela bounced back and forth happily, "Oh boy, does this mean our 'rude' Linebeck is gone then?"

Linebeck glared at her, "You're hilarious. I was referring to Link, not you."

Link and Ciela let out a good laugh. All this crying and laughing left everyone with so many mixed emotions. They finished up what they needed to check on at the boat, and they headed back to Oshus' place for the night. On their way out of the ship, Linebeck called out to Link.

"Hey, kid?" he called. Link turned back to see Linebeck look at him with worried eyes. "Let's keep this whole thing between you, Sparkles, and I, alright? Oshus doesn't need to know how much of a baby I really am."

Link gave him a reassuring smile and nodded. With that, they both headed back to Oshus, for some well-deserved rest.


End file.
